An exclusive Center on Budget and Policy Priorities analysis of the new survey data shows that unemployment insurance benefits — which expanded substantially last year in response to the increased need — kept 3.3 million people out of poverty in 2009. In other words, there were 43.6 million Americans whose families were below the poverty line in 2009, according to the official poverty statistics, which count jobless benefits as part of families’ income. But if you don’t count jobless benefits, 46.9 million Americans were poor.
As you sit down with your family this weekend to give thanks for the blessings you have, you might just want to send one up for those less fortunate. There are a LOT of them. In fact, one out of every seven Americans now live in poverty.
Think about that for a moment. Here in what most of us believe to be the greatest, richest, most powerful country in the world, one out of seven people live in poverty. Last year, 3.3 million Americans were kept out of poverty by unemployment insurance. Yet there are those out there who would abandon their fellow Americans to their fate, because unemployment insurance just makes people “spoiled”. It’s easy to hold this view when you don’t have to worry about where your next Big Mac is coming from. It’s easy to look down your nose at the unemployed and the poor when you lack for neither comfort nor for disposable income. Frankly, if you’re not ashamed at this state of affairs, you’re not paying attention. Either that or you’ve had a compassionectomy.
This, of course, is the Bush legacy, but politics and recrimination aside, we are where we are. What I find so disturbing is the Right’s desire to tell millions of Americans to suck it up. In the interest of full disclosure, I’ve been unemployed since the end of January. If any of y’all think that this is a picnic, some sort of government-aided free ride, I’d challenge you to take a walk in my shoes…and I’m actually pretty fortunate. I have savings that I can live off for some time, so I’m not in any imminent peril…but what about the millions of Americans who are? We didn’t create this problem- rampant, unchecked greed on Wall Street and rampant, unchecked incompetence in the White House did. Yet we’re now expected to simply go out and “get a job” when none are available? Republicans are adamantly opposed to extending unemployment benefits to millions who desperately need a hand? The GOP has not only established itself as the party of “NO!!”, it’s established itself as a party completely devoid of compassion…unless you’re a wealthy Republican donor in need of another tax break.
If I sound angry, it’s because I am. I and millions like me want to work. We want to contribute, to find meaningful work that pays a living wage. We don’t want to be treated like excess baggage, human flotsam who exist only to suck on the public teat. I feel fortunate to be in the situation I am, but I know there are millions far worse off than I am. If I’m frustrated and angry, I can’t even begin to imagine what it must be like for others who have mouths to feed, mortgage payments (that they’re upside down on), and car payments.
Is this the America we want? Are we really OK with the idea of losing an entire generation of Americans who simply want to be able to contribute and provide for their families? Wake up, America; you’re on the verge of allowing Right-wing propaganda to create an atmosphere that will justify casting millions of Americans adrift. Would you feel the same way if you were in our shoes…or do you just really not care??
WE DESERVE BETTER.
